Three things we learned from the Red Sox' 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays

Three things we learned from the Red Sox' 5-2 loss to the Blue Jays

1) Now it can be told: the hitting streak was getting to Xander Bogaerts.

Throughout the course of his 26-game hitting streak, Bogaerts was perfectly candid about the its existence. Yes, he knew he had a streak in place, and yes, he allowed, he thought about it sometimes before he got to the ballpark.

He even said that on occasion, he was aware of it when he didn't have a hit once the final few innings were underway.

But not until Friday night did Bogaerts reveal that it had become a burden.

When I asked him if he would feel as though a burden would be lifted Saturday when he starts a game without the pressure to maintain a streak, Bogaerts began to sigh in agreement before I could finish my question.

"Ohhhhhh, for sure,'' agreed Bogaerts. "I'm going to be honest. I'm going to honest....For sure. Man, every third or fourth at-bat, I was like, 'You don't really have to get a hit, but you need one.' To stay alive, you really need one.

"I'm pretty proud of myself that it lasted that long and the focus that I came to the field with every day.''

It was clear from listening to Bogaerts that, in the last few days, it had started to create some self-induced pressure.

2) It would be nice to see David Price have one of those dominant starts again, soon.

Price pitched fairly well after giving up a two-run homer three batters in. The rest of the way, he allowed just one unearned run, and he did take the Red Sox through seven innings after a stretch of games that saw them lean heavily -- and seldom successfully -- on their bullpen.

But Price walked four and struck out five. That came one start after he previously walked three and fanned three.

Where is that overpowering outing from Price, like the one he had back in April when he fanned nine in seven innings and allowed two runs over seven innings? Or, the one he had against Houston last month, when he racked up a dozen strikeouts?

Admittedly, strikeouts aren't everything, and Price doesn't have to be Kershaw-esque most nights.

Still, every once in a while, it would be encouraging for the Sox to see Price dominate hitters deep into a start.

3) Koji Uehara needs to make some adjustments with his splitter.

At 41, Uehara's velocity has dipped and he's not as durable as he was even a couple of years ago.

Then again, Uehara wasn't beating hitters with his fastball, whether it was 90 mph or 88 mph. The fastball merely serves to set up his split-finger fastball. But lately, the splitter lacks its trademark finish and Uehara is paying for it by allowing big hits.

In 22 innings this season, he's already allowed three homers.

With Carson Smith out for the rest of the season, the Sox will depend on Uehara a critical late-inning piece.

But to continue to earn the club's trust, he's got to get that late action to his splitter again, and where the Red Sox are concerned, the sooner, the better.